Retaining and binding apparatus



March 3, 1942. H, B, PEARL 2,274,993

RETAINING AND BINDING APPARATUS Filed March 22, 1940 o o o 0 0 0 o o o o H OOOQQQQOO ff "j ooooo0o@0o INVENTOR HERBER B. PEA EL:

TTORNEY Patented Mar. 3, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RETAINING AND BINDING. APPARATUS Herbert B. Pearl, Sunnyside, N. Y.

Application March 22, 1940, Serial No. 325,316

4 Claims.

The present invention pertains to improvements in retaining and binding apparatus.

An object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus for detachably fastening normally separate objects in predetermined relationship.

Another object is'to provide apparatus of the above type including substantially rigid supporting means for the objects being held, the supporting means being retained in holding or released position by improved resilient means.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus of the above nature which is simple, cheap to manufacture, and easily operated.

A further object is to provide an improved type of binder embodying the invention and adapted to hold magazines, pamphlets, telephone books and the like.

Another object is to provide a binder of the above type adapted to hold a plurality of magazines or the like, the binding or holding means for each magazine being operable entirely independently of the others and with a minimum of effort.

Another object is to provide a binder of the above type adapted to permit removal or insertion of any magazine or the like without disturbing the others in the binder.

A further object is to provide a binder of the above type which, is operable without marring or other damage to the units of printed material.

A still further object is to provide exterior identifying means by which the holding members. for any particular printed unit of a plurality bound together may readily be selected.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become evident during the course of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a sectional view of a preferred form of the holding and retaining block unit or assembly;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing a holding member. in releasing or withdrawn position;

Figure 3 illustrates'the provision of multiple rows of holes and pins in a retainer block;

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the operation of a binder embodying the invention;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same or a similar binder;

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the same; Figure '7 illustrates the means of identifying certain pins by means of colors;

Figure 8 illustrates the use of numerical index figures as identifying means on the heads of holding pins; and

Figure 9 is a detail View of an alternative form of pin.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the numeral it generally denotes a holding block having a rigid outer casing ll forming forward and rear walls l2 and i3. The rigid casing H is made of any suitable material such as metal, Bakelite, hard fibre or thelike, and is preferably formed with an angle or foot M by means of which the block is riveted or otherwise secured to the supporting member l5.

Substantially rigid pins l 6 are slidably mounted in holes I! in the front and rear walls l2 and IS. A body [8 of resilient material, preferably sponge rubber or the like, is disposed in the casing ll between. the walls l2 and IS, the pins l6 extending through holes pierced in the resilient body. The pins l6 are a close sliding fit in their holes in the rigid walls I2 and I3, so that while readily movable longitudinally therethrough the pins are always held rigid laterally, preventing anywobble or cooking. The yielding inner body l8, however, embraces the pins with a resilient compressive pressure which prevents accidental sliding in any position.

The pins [6 are provided on their outer ends with heads l9, preferably circular, as shown in Figures 1 to '7, though other types of heads may be used such as the eye 2|], Figure 9. After assembly the inner ends 26 of the pins may be slightly flattened or otherwise distorted to prevent their complete withdrawal through the block it]. As an alternative, in cases wherein it is desired to make the pins interchangeable in different holes as hereinafter set forth, the inner ends may be provided with small detachable end stops such as the screw cap 2| shown in Figure 9. Obviously the heads may be made similarly detachable instead of the points. The pins are usually made of round material, but for special purposes they may be made with square hexagonal or other cross sections, the holes I! of course being of similar shape.

The casing I l is preferably manufactured with a plurality of rows of holes H, which rows may be arranged in rectangular alignment as shown in Figures 6 and 8, or staggered as in Figures 1, 2 and 3. When holder units are being assembled for any particular purpose, pins are inserted through the combination of holes best suited to that purpose. For example, a single row of pins may be provided as in Figures 4, 5 and 6, while for closer pin spacing with comparatively large heads, multiple rows may be used as in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Referring to Figure 4, which shows a typical binder embodying the invention, the numeral 22 denotes the central portion or back-bone of the binder, to which are hinged front and rear covers 23 and 26. Two holder blocks Illa. and lilb are secured to the inner side of the back-bone 22 near the ends thereof, the respective pins l6 of the two blocks being directed inwardly in axial alignment.

When it is desired to place a pamphlet or magazine 25 in the binder, two opposing pins are drawn outward to the limit of their travel, the magazine placed between them and the pins Ilia pushed inward inside the back binding 25a of the magazine as shown in section in Figure 5. While it is preferable that the pins enter the central fold of the magazine, this is not necessary; consequently the magazine need not be opened prior to insertion. In the case of thick publications such as telephone books, two or more spaced sets of pins may be inserted in the same book, thus preventing any undue localized holding strains on the latters binding.

Due to the fact that the pins 16 during initialassembly are forced through the resilient.pad [8 in the inward direction, the fibres of the sponge rubber or other resilient material adjacent the pins are given an inward curve or slant, as shown in Figure 1, which slant is preserved by the comparatively large size of the pins which prevent the fibres from springing straight again. As a result, while the pins may be moved inward or outward at will through the block, the inward movement requires much less pressure than the outward movement, since inward motion occurs in the direction of the slant While outward movement acts against the slant and thereby increases the frictional pressure exerted by the rubber. In other words, the pins may be pushed in to bind articles with comparatively small effort, while a larger force must be exerted to move them outward, this effect being a further safeguard against accidental release. In the case of large pins the inward dishing effect may be augmented by normally spacing the resilient body or core [8 a short distance from the inner wall 12.

The rigidity of the pins it themselves and the rigidity of their support in the casing l I provides even holding engagement throughout the entire lengths of contact between the pins and the bound matter, preventing the latter from being torn at the edges, a condition often arising in binders using clips, spring fingers and the like. Due to the extreme simplicity of the rugged structure without slides, locking catches, rods and the like, the device is strong, durable and can be manufactured very cheaply. Obviously it can be made with as many rows of holes and pins as desired, and can be made for any type or thickness of binder, as exemplified by the seven pin arrangement shown in Figure 4 and nine pins in Figure 6. The resilient body I8 is equally efiective to retain all pins in any set position no matter what numbers or arrangements of pins are employed.

In removing or inserting a magazine no tools or extra implements are required, nor is it necessary to open the magazine. Insertion or removal of any magazine, pamphlet or the like is accomplished without loosening, releasing or in any way disturbing the others in the binder.

.Aspreviously pointed out, to remove any desired magazine from a file, its opposing pins are numbered as in Figure 8.

pulled out and the magazine extracted without disturbing the other pins. In order to aid in quickly selecting the proper opposing pins, the pins may be supplied with heads of different colors as shown in Figure '7, the pins in the two opposing blocks having the same color arrangement. When the number of pins is large, the colors are arranged in repeating series such as red on head 191), blue on I90, yellow on I901, green on He, red on i911, blue on 195/, etc. The use of colored heads not only supplies an easy identifying and selecting means but also adds to the attractive appearance of the binder.

When the heads of the holding members or pins are of sufficient size the heads I971. may be These numbers, in addition to making selection easy, also provide an indexing means for the material in the binder. If desired, one end of the backbone may be equipped with permanently located short pins and a single sliding-pin unit if] provided at the other, but the use of two units as shown is preferred for most purposes.

The holding units IE9 have been described mainly in connection with an advantageous embodiment in binders, but it will readily be seen that the basic structure of the rigid holding members supported with lateral rigidity in a rigid casing and retained longitudinally by a body of resilient material in the casing is well adapted to many other uses. For example, two holding assemblies IU of proper size may be attached upside down to the bottom of a shelf to form a rack for holding folded, rolled or bound blue prints, tracings, and the like.

Thus, while the invention has been described in preferred form, it is not limited to the exact structures and applications illustrated, as various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a holding unit, in combination, a rigid casing comprising a front wall and a rear wall, said walls having pluralities of rows of respectively aligned holes therethrough, rigid pins extending through said casing in some of said aligned holes and independently slidable therethrough, said pins being of length substantially greater than the exterior spacing of said walls, exterior heads on said pins, common resilient frictional means in said casing and engaging all said pins, and means to stop Withdrawal of said pins through said walls, said pins being supported solely by said casing and said resilient frictional means.

2. In a binder for magazines and the like, a substantially rigid back-bone, covers hinged to the sides of said back-bone, rigid transverse block casings secured to the inner side of said backbone adjacent the ends thereof, a plurality of inwardly directed pins supported in each of said blocks and independently slidable therein, longitudinally of said back-bone and adapted to enter the back folds of said magazine, the pins of said two blocks comprising a plurality of longitudinally aligned pairs, heads on the outer ends of said pins, a body of resilient material in each of said casings and frictionally embracing the pins thereof, and means on the inner ends of said pins to stop withdrawal thereof through said casings.

3. A binder as claimed in claim 2 wherein said stop means comprises members removably secured to said inner ends of said pins.

4. In a binder for publications, in combination, a substantially rigid back-bone, a rigid ,transverse casing secured on the inner side of said back-bone adjacent one end thereof, a plurality of rigid pins slidably supported in said casing and adapted to independently enter the adjacent ends of the back-folds of said publications, a body of resilient material inside said casing and frictionally embracing said pins, means on the inner ends of said pins to prevent withdrawal of said ends through said casing, and means at the other end of said back-bone to hold the other ends of said back-folds.

HERBERT B. PEARL. 

